The Battle of Esseles took place five months after the First Battle of Geonosis. When a Separatist-funded government faction declared that the planet had joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a Republic loyalist resistance movement was formed.

The two sides clashed in battle for five horrible days. Described as "bloody," many clone troopers and other beings were killed, along with an obscene amount of battle droids. The loyalists eventually won, however, and they forced the Separatist faction out.